Graphic Design Specialist
Salary

An average Graphic Design Specialist in the United States can expect to take home roughly $42K annually. Total cash compensation for Graphic Design Specialists runs from $29K to $61K depending on bonuses that can occasionally exceed $5K and profit sharing that can reach almost $26K. Experience level is the biggest factor affecting pay for this group, followed by geography. Women Graphic Design Specialists who took the survey just slightly outnumber men. For the most part, people in this position report moderate levels of job satisfaction. Medical benefits are awarded to a strong majority, and the greater part earn dental coverage. Respondents to the PayScale salary survey provided the data for this report.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Graphic Design Specialist

A graphic design specialist completes design projects for their company or clients, performing tasks such as handling web design, creating logos, creating promotional items, and completing other graphic design-related tasks. These individuals may work as freelancers or hold permanent positions that may be part time or full time. A graphic design specialist may need to develop design ideas or help realize designs envisioned by hiring companies. When a design draft does not meet client satisfaction, a graphic designer must determine why and modify designs accordingly. The graphic design specialist may work with a marketing team to exchange ideas and help their ideas be actualized. Additionally, they might directly receive customer feedback or statistics to determine if the designs are accomplishing the company's goals.

Usually, a postsecondary degree in a relevant field and experience in graphic design is necessary for this position. Graphic design specialists should be proficient in design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Some positions require the designer to be able to create 3D models, and some require web design experience with a portfolio, requiring the knowledge of HTML and CSS. Knowledge of basic computer programs such as the Microsoft Office suite is also necessary. This job requires being able to work independently in order to accomplish goals, as well as with clients and/or colleagues. There may be time constraints that the graphic designer needs to adhere to, and so self-pacing is important. Photography skills might be needed as well.

Common Career Paths for Graphic Design Specialist

Plan your career path. Drag job titles to investigate a particular path and click on a link to see where particular career can lead.

Compensation may increase greatly for Graphic Design Specialists who advance to upper-end positions like Art Director. Median pay for Art Directors is $54K per year. A common career progression for a Graphic Design Specialist is to become a Senior Graphic Designer or a Graphic Design Manager. Compared to Graphic Design Specialists, the first group earns $11K more on average, and the second group earns $9K more.

Graphic Designer Job Listings

Search for more jobs:

Job Title/Company

Location

Popular Skills for Graphic Design Specialist

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Survey results imply that Graphic Design Specialists deploy a deep pool of skills on the job. Most notably, skills in QuarkXPress, Desktop Publishing, Illustration, and Design are correlated to pay that is above average. Skills that seem to negatively impact pay include Adobe Acrobat, Windows Operating System General Use, and Flash. Most people experienced in Adobe Illustrator also know Adobe InDesign.

Pay by Experience Level for Graphic Design Specialist

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Graphic Design Specialists with more experience do not necessarily bring home bigger paychecks. In fact, experience in this field tends to impact compensation minimally. Those in the early stages of their career can expect to make around $35K; however, individuals with five to 10 years of experience bring in $45K on average — a distinctly larger sum. Graphic Design Specialists claiming one to two decades of experience make an estimated median of $48K. Veterans who have acquired more than 20 years report a median income of $51K, which is generally higher than the pay reported by other tenure groups.